Today marks the 13th Independence Day that I am celebrating as a naturalized American citizen. I became an American citizen in 1999, seven years after moving to the States.
One of the privileges of American citizenship that I fully embraced since Day One is the right to vote. In 2000, the first national election that I voted in underscored the truth of the aphorism "Every vote counts," as Gore vs. Bush came down to hanging chads, and the 25 electoral votes in Florida. The years that followed that fateful election proved to be the most economically challenging for all Americans. And we are still clawing our way out of a prolonged recession.
It's so important for all Americans to participate fully in our democracy by becoming engaged in civic and community affairs. Understanding American politics can be daunting for newcomers, who come with their own biases about the role and effectiveness of government. Fortunately, we live in a city -- in a state -- where community, equity, and democracy are more than just "feel-good" words. There are many groups working to educate people on the workings of local government, what they can do to impact decision-making, and how to stay engaged in the issues that affect their families and communities.
As a volunteer for the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon, I learned about the New American Voters Project (NAVP), which seeks to register newly minted American citizens as voters.
Volunteers from three community-based groups attend the naturalization ceremonies held several times a week. There, volunteers sign people up to vote, on the spot. Volunteers hail from these community groups: Causa Oregon, Oregon’s leading Latino rights organization; the Center for Intercultural Organizing, the state’s only multi-racial/ethnic immigrant and refugee advocacy organization; and APANO, the state’s leading Asian Pacific Islander civic engagement group.
Yesterday was my first "official" day as an APANO volunteer for NAVP, and I can't wait to come back to help out. Forty-three new Americans were sworn in as United States citizens, and almost all turned in their completed voter registration cards. Since it started as a pilot project in February, NAVP has been successful at registering about 90% of new citizens. It's important work that wouldn't be possible without a strong community-based coalition, and committed volunteers.Learn more about NAVP.
One of the privileges of American citizenship that I fully embraced since Day One is the right to vote. In 2000, the first national election that I voted in underscored the truth of the aphorism "Every vote counts," as Gore vs. Bush came down to hanging chads, and the 25 electoral votes in Florida. The years that followed that fateful election proved to be the most economically challenging for all Americans. And we are still clawing our way out of a prolonged recession.
It's so important for all Americans to participate fully in our democracy by becoming engaged in civic and community affairs. Understanding American politics can be daunting for newcomers, who come with their own biases about the role and effectiveness of government. Fortunately, we live in a city -- in a state -- where community, equity, and democracy are more than just "feel-good" words. There are many groups working to educate people on the workings of local government, what they can do to impact decision-making, and how to stay engaged in the issues that affect their families and communities.
As a volunteer for the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon, I learned about the New American Voters Project (NAVP), which seeks to register newly minted American citizens as voters.
Volunteers from three community-based groups attend the naturalization ceremonies held several times a week. There, volunteers sign people up to vote, on the spot. Volunteers hail from these community groups: Causa Oregon, Oregon’s leading Latino rights organization; the Center for Intercultural Organizing, the state’s only multi-racial/ethnic immigrant and refugee advocacy organization; and APANO, the state’s leading Asian Pacific Islander civic engagement group.
Yesterday was my first "official" day as an APANO volunteer for NAVP, and I can't wait to come back to help out. Forty-three new Americans were sworn in as United States citizens, and almost all turned in their completed voter registration cards. Since it started as a pilot project in February, NAVP has been successful at registering about 90% of new citizens. It's important work that wouldn't be possible without a strong community-based coalition, and committed volunteers.Learn more about NAVP.
